Luzerne County Man Pleads Guilty To Fentanyl Trafficking

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Evanchik, age 41, formerly of Kingston, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2022, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Evanchik admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, between 160 and 280 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area in 2020.  Judge Mariani ordered that a presentence report be completed for Evanchik.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Evanchik faces a mandatory minimum 5-year imprisonment term.  The maximum sentence under federal law is up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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